


lily of the nile

by hoteldelfino



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, No Spoilers, idk if this will be long enough to be called slow burn but we’ll see, not really implied homophobia but more like implied comphet if that makes sense, pythag trio are minor characters because i love them too much not to include them in some way, since this is a historical japanese AU after all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27238066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoteldelfino/pseuds/hoteldelfino
Summary: in which iori crosses paths with riku, the gardener appointed to tend to his courtyard, and reflects on his life as crown prince of his kingdom.
Relationships: Izumi Iori/Nanase Riku
Comments: 39
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

“Iori, keep your back straight!” Mitsuki yelled. “When you slouch, it slows your defense and leaves you more vulnerable to the enemy.”

“Yes, Nii-san,” Iori sighed, adjusting his sword and fixing his posture as his older brother instructed. He felt his body beginning to ache, as he’d been sparring with Mitsuki for nearly an hour.

“Alright, let’s stop here for today. You look exhausted.”

“Just having an off day, is all,” Iori insisted, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Rest well, since you have another lesson tomorrow,” Mitsuki sheathed his sword before walking away from the dueling grounds, leaving Iori behind with his chest still heaving.

_ “Will I ever be as skilled as Nii-san? He didn’t even break a sweat…”  _ Iori mused as he made his way back to his bedroom to strip from his sword fighting armor. As he changed into a silk kimono for the evening, Iori eyed the white crane design that trailed down his sleeves. 

_ “Cranes… they have such freedom, soaring off to wherever they wish.” _

Iori opened the door to his balcony, hoping that viewing the flowers in his garden might ease his mind, however slightly. Despite his intentions, Iori found himself with a frown as he couldn't help but dwell on everything that was making him upset, thus worsening his already poor mood. As he watched the breeze filter through nearby hydrangeas with a distant expression on his face, Iori suddenly heard a soft voice addressing him.

“Your highness, are you feeling alright?”

Iori’s eyes widened in surprise, as a man with fierce red hair and clothes caked in dirt appeared before his eyes.

“Ah, well, yes,” Iori fumbled his words, clearly taken off guard by the gardener’s sudden question. “I... don’t believe I’ve seen you before in the royal court.”

“Forgive me, your highness, as I neglected to introduce myself. I’m Riku Nanase, and I recently started working here as a gardener.”

“Is that so...” Iori brought a hand to his chin, eyeing the gardener curiously. “Well, thank you for your concern, but I’m doing alright… Well, better than before, thanks to your tasteful flower arrangement here.”

“Oh!” Riku’s eyes lit up at Iori’s compliment. “I’m pleased to hear that my flower arrangement was to your liking, your highness.”

Iori tensed at Riku’s use of honorifics. “You... can drop the highness, just my name is fine, really.”   
  


“But, your highness…”

“Nearly everyone calls me ‘your highness’… Truth be told, it gets rather tiring.”

“Well then, if it’s what your hi—I mean, Izumi-san wishes, then I can’t deny that.” Riku promptly corrected himself.

“Thank you… Nanase-san.”

“Of course,” Riku nodded with enthusiasm. “Anything for Izumi-san, I’d be happy to oblige.”

“Is that so,” Izumi found himself unable to resist the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. “Well, then… Could you perhaps tell me more about that flower over there?

“Oh, yes, of course!” Riku scurried over to the flower bed near Izumi’s outdoor porch, before looking back at him, seemingly perplexed.

“What is it?”

“Oh, I was just wondering if it’s alright for you to step off of the patio…?” Riku tilted his head. “If you don’t want to get dirt on your shoes, then I’ll understand, and since the royal court doesn’t really mingle with commoners, I can s-”

Riku’s rambling was interrupted with a light thud, as Iori hopped down from his porch onto the dirt below, before kneeling down onto the grass to get a closer look at the flower bed.

“You’re correct, technically I’m not supposed to leave my room during the evening, or get my clothes dirty, and I’m  _ definitely  _ not supposed to be mingling with the court gardener.”

Riku’s eyes widened in shock as Izumi walked over to kneel next to him, as if it were a regular occurrence and Iori wasn’t breaching his code of conduct.

“However,” Iori cleared his throat before continuing. “I’ve been rather troubled as of late, and you reached out to me, so it would be impolite to ignore your thoughtful efforts. Furthermore, I’ve always been interested in flowers, as it’s an area of study that my instructors never thought appropriate to teach me.”

“Ah, I see…” Riku nodded, slightly captivated by the sight of Iori’s elegant kimono draped over the grass that Riku so carefully trimmed earlier that day.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but these are… orchids?” Iori asked, his gaze lingering on the flowers, as if they had cast a spell on him.

“Yes, they are!” 

“And I could be wrong about this as well, given my minimal knowledge of flowers, but… Aren’t orchids one of the most difficult flowers to cultivate successfully?”

“Well, you’re right again, but that is my job, after all,” Riku replied. “Orchids are tricky sometimes, but with the proper care, they can bloom into something wonderful.”

“This garden you’ve created all for my sake… It almost feels overwhelming, but I can see why you’ve been appointed in my royal court, as my father will settle for nothing less than perfection.”

Riku waved his hands in denial, not sure how he should react from such high praise from the crown prince himself.

“I’m afraid that I have to depart now for a meeting with the patrol guards, but…” Iori paused, glancing at Riku as he knelt by the orchids once more. “Will I see you again tomorrow?”

“Yes! I mean, I’ll be back at work in the garden tomorrow evening around this time, but are you sure it’s alright for us to be having a conversa-”

“It’s fine, I assure you, so do not fret about it any further.”

“If you insist, your highne-”

Iori stopped him again. “What did I say earlier?”

“Ah yes, call you Izumi… san.” Riku laughed sheepishly, the sound of it echoing in Iori’s ears before drifting off into the breeze.

“Perfect. Then I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening, Nanase-san.”

“Yes, and I hope you do too…!” Riku waved as Iori stepped back inside the castle without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the title has a lot of different interpretations, so i'll explain more later :3 also im gonna rely on my existing knowledge of japanese history for this fic because i’m too lazy to do any proper research on royalty *dabs* but hopefully everything still works out? chapter updates will be somewhat sporadic because life and all. but i definitely have most of the fic drafted out so stay tuned for more adventures ahead ♡


	2. Chapter 2

After another morning of tutoring in his most challenging subjects, and even more swordsmanship training, Iori was completely worn out before the day was half over. Truthfully, he thought the increased difficulty in his lessons was taking things a bit too far, but his father was hearing none of his complaints, as he saw the preparation necessary for his upcoming inauguration as the new King. His father was growing old, and according to tradition, the youngest son of the family was destined to be the next heir, meaning that his older brother Mitsuki could not be the next King. As much as he hated to admit it, Iori was the only one left to take the throne under these conditions.

Secretly hoping he might meet the gentle gardener from yesterday, Iori slipped into casual yukata that he usually reserved for lounging in his room. He feared that he might have scared away Riku with his formal kimono from yesterday, which he still thought was much too expensive, but was required to wear nonetheless.

Sure enough, according to Iori’s wishes, Riku appeared in the corner of his garden, tending to the flowers so quietly that Iori didn’t even notice his presence at first. Rays of sunlight reflecting off the patio allowed Iori to notice that many freckles were scattered across Riku's face. Since Iori was not allowed to be in the sun for very long, so as not to damage his skin, he never saw any freckles on himself, nor any of the other nobles he interacted with on a daily basis.

After a while, Riku noticed his lingering stare and spoke up.

“Izumi-san, is something wrong?”

“Ah, nothing, it’s just,” Iori floundered in coming up with an excuse. “This might sound strange, but... I have never seen someone with so many freckles before.”  
  


“So that’s what it was?” Riku’s laugh resounded, and Iori’s heart felt lighter immediately, as Riku wasn’t scared off by Iori’s stare-down after all. “I just tend to get lots more freckles in the summer… It’s probably due to my work as well, as being a gardener means that I spend most of my time outside.”

“That must be it...” Iori’s voice trailed off, as he struggled to think of something else to say in order to spend his leisure time with the gardener. Despite all the lessons he had on conversation with nobility, he worried about how he should talk to a commoner. The honorific language he was accustomed to somehow didn’t seem right for Riku. Much to Iori’s relief, Riku chimed in before he got lost in his train of thought.

“Are you perhaps taking another break from your studies?” Riku took a quick glance at Iori’s yukata before facing him again.

“Yes, I returned here to admire your handiwork, as you’re quite the talented gardener.”

“Surely you don’t mean that…?”

“Nonsense, I’ve lived here my whole life and never seen the garden arranged quite like this... My father did very well in finding someone like you.”

“T-Thank you,” Riku managed to respond, despite being flustered by Iori's praises yet again. “If there are any changes or additions you would like to the garden, please do not hesitate to let me know!”

“Well, there is one particular flower I am quite fond of, but…”

“And what would that be?”

“Blue petunia,” Iori replied. “They used to grow in my mother’s garden, but that was many years ago.”

“Petunia, hmm…” Riku paused for a moment, trying to recall his knowledge of flower language before responding. “Your presence soothes me.”

Iori felt his heart skip a beat, until he realized that Riku was not addressing him directly, but merely explaining the meaning of the flower.

“I’ll do my best to find some and plant them here!” Riku faced him again with a determined expression.

“I wish you the best of luck, then,” Iori sighed, relieved that Riku didn’t seem to notice his reaction earlier, as he was quick to regain his composure. “I’ll be returning to my studies now, but I'll try to stop by again soon and check on the garden's progress.”

Riku waved as Iori headed back inside his quarters. While Riku was able to quickly return to his work, Iori collapsed into his desk chair, holding his head in his hands.

_“Your presence soothes me…”_ Iori gave up on his studies, as Riku's soft voice kept replaying in his mind. _“How did so few words have such a profound effect on me? Am I truly this distressed with my life, that I want to find consolation in his presence?”_

Iori asked himself many more questions that day, none of which he could find the answer to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blue petunia is the flower that iori had on that one i7 album a while back, but i forget which album lol


	3. Chapter 3

Throughout the week, Iori felt tension accumulate in every part of his body. Between lessons, dinners, and meetings to prepare for his eventual inauguration, his schedule had gotten so busy that he barely had any time for himself. Finally arriving at a calm Saturday evening, Iori sighed as he noticed the sun setting over the horizon.

_“Another day, just as insignificant as the last,”_ Iori thought to himself. _“Such a waste.”_

Rapidly approaching nightfall meant that surely Riku had left the courtyard long ago after finishing his work for the day, but Iori still decided to spend the rest of his evening in the garden. Everything appeared just as he remembered, not a flower petal out of place, until he noticed a new flower; something that Riku must have been cultivating since they last met.

“Is that…”

“Blue petunia?” A lively voice suddenly finished Iori’s sentence, much to his surprise.

“I didn’t realize you accommodated my request so soon,” Iori replied. “Forgive me if my selfish demands caused you to remain at work longer than necessary.”

“Not at all, Izumi-san,” Riku insisted. “Anything to liven up my work is always welcome!”

Iori knelt down by the garden, quietly observing the flowers, before speaking again. “Forgive me if I’m wrong, but you said before that this flower means something like... soothing presence?”

“Yes, it does,” Riku answered in excitement. “It can also mean peacefulness, closeness among one another, and even a bond of deep trust!”

“I was not aware that any flower could have more than one meaning,” Iori gently smiled at the flowers, then turned toward Riku. “In all my lessons, my tutors did not consider it appropriate to teach me such things.”

“Maybe we can trade places then?”

Iori stared blankly at Riku, clearly puzzled by his response.

“Oh, I mean, sorta like,” Riku stumbled over his words. “Since I dropped out of school a while ago, maybe if I teach you more about flower language, then you could teach me some advanced kanji from your formal lessons?”

“Sounds rather innovative,” Iori nodded in approval. “The stuffy higher ups in the royal court could learn so much from the common people, and perhaps I could even instill some sort of trickle-down effect.”

“Amazing ideas, as expected of the crown prince!”

Iori felt a sudden warmth rise to his cheeks. “I grow tired of the royal court’s pompous attitudes sometimes, that is all.”

Riku’s soft laughter filled the evening air, which sparked a fluttering feeling inside Iori. _“Did my words make him… laugh?”_ Iori thought to himself. _“I must study my actions further, in order to bring about more positive reactions.”_

“By the way, Izumi-san, I know your name, but I have no idea how to spell it… If you have the time, would you mind showing me?”

“Of course,” Iori stepped back inside his room for a few moments to grab his ink pen and paper, before returning outside. He motioned for Riku to sit with him together at the small garden table nearby, then began writing his name, using smooth and precise strokes to form an elaborate kanji.

“Was that… Eighteen strokes? Did I count that right?!”

“Yes, you did,” Iori sighed. “This is how you would write my given name. The first kanji is one stroke meaning the number one, which I’m sure you already know, but the second one is more complex, and its meaning is ‘weaving’ or ‘fabric’. Once you learn how to write this kanji, then we can continue. I don’t doubt your resolve, but… think of this as a preliminary test of sorts.”

“Izumi-san is such a strict teacher,” Riku pouted. “But… I’ll do my best!”

“Here, take these,” Iori passed the calligraphy papers and ink pen across the table toward Riku. “I will not scold you, unless you don’t try your best, or unless you give up. This is the way I would wish to be taught myself.”

“So thoughtful,” Riku clutched his chest. “I just know the kingdom will be in good hands once Izumi-san becomes King!”

Hearing Riku say his own name and King in the same sentence made Iori feel like his own heart might burst. Unsure of how to categorize the whirlwind of emotions, he opted to just shove them into the back of his mind.

“Don’t mention it, and try writing these if that kanji is too difficult,” Iori hastily scribbled his last name onto another sheet of calligraphy paper, before adding it to Riku’s stack of papers. “These are the kanji that spell out my family name.”

“Looks like I should get to practicing, then,” Riku gathered his gardening tools, but turned to face Iori before leaving. “Oh, but before I go, will you come with me to the back of the garden? I can show you a new addition I've been working on."

Iori nodded, following Riku's footsteps carefully, so as to not accidentally crush any of the flowerbeds.

"I planted some hydrangea bushes, but they won't be fully grown for another month or so," Riku knelt down, softly patting the dirt to make sure the bushes were secure. "They'll become so pretty though, just wait!"

"Do they have a meaning too?"

"Well," Riku scratched the back of his neck. "Their meaning is actually kind of... harsh?"

"Don't hold back," Iori looked back at Riku with intense curiosity. "I want to know."

Riku inhaled sharply before responding. "Heartlessness, boastfulness... Someone who is cold."

"Was that the reason you planted these...?"

"Oh no! Izumi-san, rest assured, I think very highly of you," Riku waved his hands frantically. "Those are the meanings, but that's just traditional flower language! Any flower can mean anything you want. And besides, your father actually requested these be planted. Not just here, but in all the courtyards. Probably because it's the most standard summer flower...! I mean, of course there are other summer flowers, but when you see hydrangea, the feeling is just instantly like summer, y'know?"

Iori felt a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as Riku worked himself into a frenzy. _"What is this feeling… like I want to reach out to him?"_

"Anyway, that's all, and I hope to see you soon-"

Iori reached out to place a small object in Riku's hand. "Allow me to lend you this ink pen, it will be the most useful tool for calligraphy."

"Oh, thank you, Izumi-san!" Riku's eyes squinted as he smiled, and Iori couldn't help but stare at his facial features as the moonlight clearly illuminated them. Everything about Riku practically radiated pure light, like a ray of sunshine. After a while, Iori realized he'd been staring far too long, and his eyes darted away.

"Farewell, Nanase-san," He managed a small wave after his goodbye, to which Riku waved back, before he quietly slid out through the door at the garden's exit.

As he passed through the flowerbeds once again on his way back indoors, Iori could picture Riku handling each flower with delicate care, and he couldn’t help but smile softly to himself. Once Iori stepped inside his bedroom, his mind wandered back to the image of Riku’s hands, and his sun-tanned skin, gently patting down the soil where hundreds of flowers bloomed.

Iori's gaze traveled down his arms, noting the subtle green hues of the leaves embroidered in the kimono fabric. His hands slid down his shoulders, gently removing each sleeve of the kimono, and Iori started to wonder what Riku’s touch might feel like, brushing past his shoulder like a light breeze on a sunny day. Before his mind could wander any further, Iori covered his mouth, holding in a gasp.

_“What am I thinking?”_

Chills traveled all around his body, followed by a bittersweet feeling, the unfamiliarity of the sensations setting off some kind of internal alarm. Iori’s first impulse was to brush everything away again; sweeping the dust and clutter of his mind into the no man’s land of uncategorized emotions that he had previously designated.

_“This anxiety does not suit me. I am no coward, and he is not an intruder. Nanase-san is just a new member of the royal staff. A new associate in the exchange of knowledge. We will learn from each other. Nothing more, nothing less.”_

Despite putting up his best fight, Iori’s emotions threatened to overwhelm him again. He collapsed onto his bed, powerless against the invasion of what felt like an army of foreign soldiers. His lessons had prepared him for everything under the sun, except for whatever he was facing in that moment. In the midst of everything, Iori suddenly recalled one of his most important combat lessons, from the teachings of Sun Tzu. _“If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”_

Iori rolled over on his side, groaning once he realized that quote didn’t apply to his problem in the slightest. Even if it did, he felt as if he knew next to nothing about Riku, and even less about himself, having focused solely on the needs of the royal kingdom for so long, _especially_ his father’s demands. To make matters worse, it was impossible for Iori to predict anything to come, except for the fact that he would soon become King, and that realization led to a swell of fear inside his chest.

_“Nanase-san’s absence… What is it? He’s gone now, but he’ll be back. I’ll be back. But somehow, I don’t wait to wait until then. Will I be able to see him again once I become King? How much longer can I spend with him? Everything is out of reach... If only there was more I could do.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gonna try to update more frequently T___T anxious iori needs some luv n reassurance


	4. Chapter 4

“Is it just my imagination, or is that.... A tan?”

Iori froze in place and glanced down to realize, much to his dismay, that Mitsuki was right. A sense of dread loomed over him as he thought to himself.  _ “How can I explain this? I can’t just tell Nii-san that I’ve been wasting away my time in idle chitchat with my gardener, of all people.” _

Mitsuki huffed at his brother. “What have you been up to lately? You still seem off.”

“I’ve been sunbathing, to relieve my stress,” Iori waved his hand dismissively, somewhat impressed at how quickly he conjured up his own excuse. “Can we just finish the lesson?”

“Fine, sorry,” Mitsuki drew his sword again. “The pressure must be piling up, with your inauguration coming up... So take all your frustration and swing at me!”

At his older brother’s provocation, a sequence of images flashed through his mind. He thought of Riku; how he might have felt equally as lonely as Iori did, while he was locked in some suffocating royal court meeting during the day. Then he thought of his father’s expectations, a constant burden on his shoulders, the weight threatening to overtake him as his inauguration drew closer. Finally, his thoughts returned to himself, and how little jurisdiction he had over anything that happened in his own life. Frustration now ruminating within him, Iori swung his sword at Mitsuki with all his might, causing his older brother to crash into the ground.

“Agh, Iori,” Mitsuki gripped his armor, clearly not having expected such a crushing blow. “I guess that’s more like it.”

“I-I’m sorry, Nii-san,” Iori ran over to where Mitsuki fell to the ground and extended his hand, which Mitsuki grabbed to stand back up again. “Was that too much?”

“No, with that kind of strength, facing me in sparring practice will be the least of your concerns,” Mitsuki brushed some dust off himself before continuing. “But, are you sure everything’s alright?”

Iori tensed. “It’s nothing, really. I should be going.”

Mitsuki merely waved with a sigh, as his younger brother hung up his sword and shield and left without another word. Something in his heart told Mitsuki that nothing he could say would console Iori, and whatever battles he faced would likely be on his own. Even so, the stinging feeling of being unable to help his younger brother resided within Mitsuki.

* * *

Nearly all the contents of Iori’s closet had been haphazardly thrown onto his bed, until Iori finally found what he was searching for; a brimmed hat to shade him from the sun’s rays. 

“I’ve been careless,” Iori said aloud as he held the hat up, twirling it around in his fingertips. “This hat should work to protect my skin, but… is it fashionable?”

Iori sat at his study desk, finally opting to just rest his head in his hands.

_ “Since when have I put this much thought into appearances?” _

He wanted, more than anything, to think that his intentions were all centered on his upcoming inauguration, but he knew that could not be further from the truth. The whole kingdom’s eyes would be fixed on him soon enough, and any other person would have been enjoying these moments away from the public eye, but Izumi Iori was not just any other person. His mind only drifted back to Riku.

_ “What would he think of this outfit? He would most likely have a better idea of current fashion trends than I do, with most of his time being spent outside the castle walls...” _

Iori’s thoughts took hold of him once again, and the more he fidgeted with his clothing, the more he considered never setting foot outside his bedroom and just staying inside for the rest of the day. Iori finally opted to exhale deeply and find a seat at the small table near his garden.

The sun had not yet set, which Iori affirmed his choice of wearing a hat. Acutely aware of the sun's rays, Iori made a concerted effort to seek out the corner of the garden with the most shade. Just as fatigue set in and his eyes started to shut ever so slightly, Iori saw from the corner of his eye that Riku now sat across from him at the table.

“Good afternoon, Izumi-san!”

“Ah, hello,” Iori straightened his posture, realizing that he’d been caught half asleep in his chair. “It’s nice to see you again, Nanase-san.”

“I’ve been practicing calligraphy from last time, and,” Riku excitedly pulled out a stack of papers from his bag and placed them on the table. “Would these be acceptable?”

Iori tentatively glanced at Riku before looking back at the stack of papers, trying not to let his brow furrow too intensely for fear that Riku might worry that Iori was scrutizing him.

“Your handwriting looks good,” Iori leafed through each paper, seeing that Riku made significant improvements with each additional character he wrote. “And I see no faults as far as accuracy goes, either.”

“Does that mean I passed?!”

“You did, but not that I’m surprised,” Iori bit back a smile when he saw the last page. “Surely these illustrations are not part of the rest, though?”

“Oh, those are just doodles, not really drawings, but,” Riku smiled sheepishly. “Drawing pictures next to the kanji helps me to remember them better.”

“Yet another innovative idea, Nanase-san,” Iori somehow felt warm even under the shade. “You've clearly put in the effort.”

“Just doing my best, like you said!”

A comfortable silence washed over them, save for two sounds; Iori’s calligraphy pen sliding across the paper to create a list of new kanji for Riku to practice, and a light breeze that passed through the garden.

Riku noted how the silk sleeves of Iori’s kimono accentuated his slim wrists, and also how Iori’s hands intricately traced many unfamiliar words onto the paper in front of him. He observed Iori for a few moments with quiet intensity before speaking again.

“So, I’m guessing those are the next kanji I’ll learn?”

“Yes, I wrote the most obscure kanji that came to mind, but even these will occasionally appear in daily conversation,” Iori explained, then passed the pen and paper toward Riku again. “Now, I have another request.

“Oh?”

“Write one of those kanji right now.”

“On the spot?”

“Yes, think of it as a drill of sorts. I can see you’ve practiced extensively on your own, but,” Iori’s gaze wandered away to the corner of the garden. “I just want to see for myself.”

“Well, I’ll do my best,” Riku exhaled and took hold of the calligraphy pen yet again. He unconsciously tapped his cheek with the backside of the pen while he decided on how he wanted to write the kanji.

_ “Cute.”  _ Iori felt a jab in his chest with each tap of the pen on Riku’s cheek.

“Ok, that should do it!”

“Your stroke order is perfect… Are you sure you aren’t familiar with these words already?”

“I guess I just work well under pressure?” Riku laughed nervously. “Your stare was seriously something else.”

_ “I’m being careless again,”  _ Iori’s eyes darted away as he silently cursed himself. Riku could never know the extent of how each of his subtle mannerisms affected Iori, and he blamed himself for lending Riku his calligraphy pen in the first place.

“Anyway, now I have to hold up my end of the deal,” Riku rummaged through his shoulder bag until he pulled out a book, dusting off the cover before showing it to Iori. “This book helped me learn a lot about how to become a gardener!”

“The encyclopedia of… flower language?” Iori read the title of the book aloud, the words feeling almost foreign on his tongue.

“Yes, I’m sure this book will be a much better teacher than I could be,” Riku insisted. “You can borrow it, and maybe read some in your free time?”

“I’ll gladly accept that offer,” Iori’s face softened into a gentle expression. “This book seems to have a lot of wear, so I’ll be sure to take good care of it.”

Riku nodded in response, briefly watching Iori flip through the pages of the book he treasured so dearly before speaking again.

“You must be busy with the inauguration coming up, right?”

“Yes, you’re correct,” Iori sighed. “Being that my father wishes to proceed with it in just a few short months, we’ve all had to prepare extensively.”

“I really believe that all your hard work will pay off,” Riku said with determination, distinctly remembering the half asleep image of Iori from earlier. “I can’t think of anyone else who would be more suited to being a ruler of the people.”

“Thank you, Nanase-san, truly,” Iori felt a pang in his heart at Riku’s earnest reassurance. “But personally, I can’t be sure of myself.”

“Well… I can’t say that I don’t know how you feel.”

Iori’s eyes widened. “What’s troubling you?”

“It’s just that,” Riku clutched the collar of his shirt, now looking crestfallen. “My brother ran away from home recently, so it’s been lonely.”

“I can send my guards to look for him at once, if you wish,” Iori offered. “Regardless, I’m... sorry to hear that.”

“No thank you, Izumi-san, that won’t be necessary, and I think my brother will be fine,” Riku showed a pained smile. “I know he had his reasons for leaving, but it still hurts... Looks like this kind of life isn’t really suited for either of us, huh?”

Iori was taken aback by how Riku’s words rang true, and all he could manage was a small nod in response. 

“Izumi-san, can I ask you something foolish?”

“Sure,” Iori replied without hesitation.

“Do you believe in past lives?”

“As in...” Iori’s words trailed off as he brought a hand to his chin. “Reincarnation, and the teachings of Buddha?”

“Yes, something like that.”

“I must be honest... I’ve never considered the thought.”

“Well,” Riku began, leaning in closer to Iori at the garden table. “There are a lot of folk tales that are shared around in my village, and one of them says, ‘If two people have an instant connection, then they may have met in a past life’.”

Iori felt his insides twist at Riku’s words and sincere expression. Somehow, he was at a loss for words, and didn't know what to make of Riku's statement.  


“But that’s enough talk of commoner fairytales-”

“Nonsense, your words make perfect sense,” Iori suddenly interrupted Riku, as if a missing puzzle piece had been connected in his mind. “So long as you feel free to share your thoughts with me, Nanase-san, then I will do the same.”

Under the brim of his hat, Iori could spot a light pink dusting Riku’s cheeks. 

“Will do, Izumi-san,” Riku shook his head, so as to get rid of the blush plaguing him. “Is there anything else I can do for you, while I’m around?”

“Perhaps,” Iori motioned toward the tree in the corner of the garden. “We could rest by that tree?”

“Together…?”

“If that’s alright,” Iori found himself wanting to backpedal on his own suggestion, but he continued. “I’d like to skim a few pages of your book, and your presence nearby could prove to be useful, should I have any questions about the material.”

“Of course, I’ll grab a blanket so your kimono doesn’t touch the ground-”

“No need,” Iori stood up from his chair and casually walked over to the shaded tree, finding his seat there as if it were an everyday occurrence. “Now, if you could just grab the book from the table?”

“Yes,” Riku hurried back to the table and grabbed the book before sitting next to Iori under the tree. “Let’s see, where did I stop reading…”

The pangs in Iori’s chest felt stronger as Riku’s shoulder met his own. He didn’t find the warmth radiating from Riku surprising, but he was surprised at his own sudden desire to become lost in it.

“I’d offer to read the pages for you, but,” Riku’s laugh echoed in Iori’s chest. “As we both know, I don’t know that many kanji, so I only learned the basics of gardening from this book. So that’s why I think it’s better if you hold onto it, for now at least.”

Iori’s hand felt the gentle brush of Riku’s skin as he passed the book to him, and Iori took off his hat before he started frantically flipping through the book’s pages, trying to distract himself and focus on anything else except Riku’s touch. 

“Cactus,” Iori stated, his voice slightly wavering. “I had no idea this could be considered a flower.”

“Yes! Cacti only grow in the desert, so basically they’re nowhere to be found anywhere near here, but,” Riku looked down to the pages to recall information about the flower's meaning before continuing. “Endurance, grandeur, warmth, ardent love… There are so many lovely meanings to this flower.”

A sudden shudder traveled through Iori’s body at Riku’s soft voice that contained so much feeling, and Riku gasped with concern, gently putting his own arm around Iori’s shoulder in pure instinct.

“Are you cold, Izumi-san?”

“Perhaps,” Iori lied through his teeth, choosing instead to live in the moment of Riku’s embrace. “We could stay like this, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course,” Riku nudged closer to Iori, the motion very much familiar to him from huddling close to his loved ones for warmth in the cold months, when heat somehow didn’t reach outside the castle walls into Riku’s village.

It didn’t take long for Iori to drift back into his previous state of half-asleep bliss, and even his rapidly beating heart from before eventually slowed in the warmth of Riku’s arms. Riku would have been more than happy to hold Iori until the sun set, if it weren’t for Mitsuki’s voice calling out from inside Iori’s bedroom, startling both of them out of the haze of their own world.

“Ioriii! Where are you? There’s a meeting in 10 minutes!” Mitsuki’s footsteps could be heard walking from Iori’s room back into the castle walls. “Whatever, I’ll be in the dining room waiting, so just meet me in there!”

Iori stood up and dusted off his kimono, exhaling deeply before turning toward Riku. “For obvious reasons, I’ll be on my way now, but I must say that... I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon.”

“I did too! Thank you for everything,” Riku bowed before Iori, which led to Iori grabbing his shoulder.

“Next time we meet, let’s drop the formalities.”

“Ah, okay,” Riku felt like he might become hypnotized as he looked up at Iori’s serious expression. “I-If you insist.”

“Until then,” Iori waved with nonchalance before returning to his bedroom, wasting no time in closing the door behind him.

_ “How could I monopolize him like that? I’ve not only been selfish, but somehow even more careless than before…” _

Iori held his head in his hands as he slid down the side of his door, almost entirely crumpled into a heap now as he agonized alone in his bedroom. He stared down at the floral pattern of his kimono as it wrinkled into different folds on the cold tile floor.

_ "Remember the phrase, ‘I love you’,”  _ His father’s cold words rang in Iori’s thoughts as a harsh reminder.  _ “The only time you will ever speak those words is to your future wife.” _

So long as Riku burned him so passionately, Iori would be resigned to life in the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listened to lots yumi arai’s music on spotify while writing this chapter if that’s of interest to anyone T___T <3


	5. Chapter 5

“You’re acting so different lately,” Mitsuki crossed his arms and pouted. “Dare I say... lovesick?”

“Stop spouting nonsense,” Iori snapped back. “How could I fall in love with a woman I’ve never met?”

“Huh, must be your nerves again, then... Or just my imagination.”

_“Your comment_ _interferes with the focus of our training far more than any of my previous ‘nerves’,”_ Iori wanted to reply.

The remainder of their sword training was uneventful, and Iori muttered a rushed ‘see you later’ to his older brother, now keenly aware of how limited his time with Riku was since their last meeting was interrupted by Mitsuki. Once Iori set foot onto the soft grass outside, he felt the tension in his shoulders start to slip away, and he shut his eyes to listen closer to the singing of cicadas resounding from the garden walls. As he rested his elbows on the gate of a newfound flowerbed, it started to set in Iori’s mind just how heavenly the garden had become in a relatively short amount of time.

“All thanks to him,” Iori said under his breath.

“Him?”

Iori gasped, not expecting Riku to pop out from the hydrangea bushes nearby.

“Sorry if I startled you,” Riku laughed. “How have you been, Izumi-san?”

“To say I’ve been ‘busy’ would be putting it lightly… I apologize for not stopping by in a while.”

“Don’t worry about it, really,” Riku waved his hands dismissively. “I’m more than happy that you spend even a little bit of your valuable time with me.”

Iori looked up to face Riku.  _ “Is he averting my gaze? That seems unlike him. Perhaps he feels something like I do? No, it must be my status. My cursed, inevitable path to become King.” _

“Anyway,” Riku hurriedly pulled out a red notebook from his pockets. “I started using this to record my progress, since calligraphy papers started to scatter everywhere around my room.”

Iori nodded in response, then took the notebook in his hands, squinting slightly as he evaluated each stroke with his usual attention to detail.

“How’s everything look?”

“I must say, you’ve learned a lot in a short amount of time... Reminds me of how you’ve managed to transform this formerly dull area outside my bedroom into something like a sanctuary.”

Riku’s blush was now clearly visible to Iori. “You’re too kind to me, Izumi-san…”

“It’s true, you’ve shown so much promise,” Iori showed Riku an uncharacteristically affectionate smile. “Now I can’t help but wonder… is there a flower with that kind of meaning?”

“Promise…?”

“As in, ‘I promise to you’, or something to that effect.”

“Well,” Riku twirled the long end of his hair in his fingers. “Most people know that four-leaf clovers mean good luck, but the actual white clover flower itself means ‘promise me’, or… ‘think of me’.”

Iori felt his heart skip a beat as Riku finished his explanation. “Isn’t that a rather common flower?”

“Yes! In fact,” Riku bent down to pluck a white clover flower from the grass, then held out his hand to show Iori. “They’re everywhere this time of year.”

“Spring being the season of new beginnings,” Iori brought a hand to his chin. “Makes me wonder if each of these flowers represents a fulfilled promise, since spring is almost over, after all.”

“Izumi-san…” Riku’s voice wavered, and he brought his other hand to his chest. “That’s so poetic!”

_ “Ah, there it is again, the feeling like my heart is being crushed.” _

“Is it okay if I give you this flower?”

Iori nodded, his gaze remaining fixed on Riku’s hands as he took hold of his own. The warmth from Riku’s touch lingered on Iori’s skin for a few seconds after Riku gently placed the flower in his palms.

“You can keep this flower with you, and remember the garden whenever you feel stressed,” Riku suggested. “Or do whatever you like! You are the crown prince, after all.”

“What did I say about losing the formalities?” 

“Ah, that totally slipped my mind,” Riku smiled sheepishly, and Iori bit back a smile, fearing that his own heart might beat out of his chest.

“Anyway,” Riku grabbed his notebook, along with his messenger bag from the flowerbed he’d been working on nearby. “I should be on my way, as the King has requested me to work on landscaping the castle exterior.”

“Likely more preparation for the inauguration,” Iori added. “My father can be quite demanding, so best of luck to you.”

“Right, I’ll do my best,” Riku bowed quickly before leaving. “Until next time, Izumi-san!”

Iori waved, then looked down into his hand, sighing deeply as he realized he would be alone again for an indefinite amount of time, with nothing left of Riku but a half-wilted flower, and the echo of his soft voice in Iori’s mind.

  
_ “In my entire life, I’ve never felt something like this…”  _ Iori ran his hands through his hair in exasperation.  _ “I fear that Nii-san may have been correct… If this is lovesickness, then I wonder if I can still recover, or if this is irreversible... Maybe everything was fated from the start.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listened to lots of mezzo while writing this chapter T_____T <3 second beat really opened my eyes to how Good they are


	6. Chapter 6

The heat of summer had undoubtedly reached its peak, and Iori fanned himself as he sifted through various gemstones scattered across his desk. He was busier than ever with arrangements for the inauguration, but managed to carve out a sliver of free time to covertly tap into the royal guard’s database in order to figure out when Riku’s birthday was, and today was the day; July 7th.

_ “Seventh day of the seventh month… His birthday falls on Tanabata, and somehow that auspicious date suits him… I can only hope that our story doesn’t end the same way as Orihime and Hikoboshi.” _

Being that Iori was far too high up in the hierarchy of the royal court to be able to make an appearance in public without being detected and causing a scene, he had ordered his most trusted staff member to head out to the local market and ‘find the most beautiful array of gemstones that you can, along with a spool of ribbon’. Money was no object, and Iori didn’t care what kind of gemstones they were, since he took it upon himself to secretly snatch a book from his father’s study and research the meanings behind each gemstone as he laced them into a bracelet for Riku’s birthday gift.

Since the gemstones didn’t have any openings that Iori could conveniently slip the ribbon in between to tie the bracelet together, Iori wracked his mind until he thought of an intricate knot that managed to keep all the gemstones in place. He wanted Riku to be able to carry on with his typical everyday activities, while the bracelet would remain secured in place on his wrist. The creation of the bracelet was decidedly difficult, but Iori kept his composure throughout most of the process, until the very end, when he realized he didn’t know Riku’s wrist measurement.

_ “Come on, Iori, think,”  _ Iori ran a hand through his hair.  _ “You’ve replayed that day enough times in your head, now what was the size of his wrist when he handed you that flower?” _

Iori grabbed his wrist with his other hand and turned his hand back and forth in the candlelight at his desk, opening and closing his fist with thoughtful movements, until his eyebrows raised suddenly, as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head.

_ “Our wrists are essentially the same circumference. How did I not come to this conclusion sooner?” _

Iori sighed as he tied the last gemstone onto the end of the bracelet, then used his own wrist as a guide to measure the final length.

_ “Perfect.” _

Iori expected nothing less than perfection from his own work, but nervousness still crept in from the back of his mind when he considered which gemstones might suit Riku. At the center of the bracelet was a fire opal, which Iori read was regarded as a stone strongly associated with one’s emotions, particularly those of love and passion. The fiery red color of the opal reminded Iori of Riku’s eyes. 

Surrounding the fire opal on both sides were two rubies, which Iori came to understand were famous for protecting oneself from bad health and misfortune. According to his studies, Iori also learned that the vibrant red color was used to open the heart, as well as symbolize vitality and royalty. Despite his background and poor upbringing, Riku was nothing short of royalty in Iori’s eyes.

The last two gemstones that Iori added were garnets in the darkest shade of red. The book that Iori had cracked open on his desk was opened to a passage with detailed information about garnets of all colors, and red garnet in particular signified love and commitment. At the end of the page, he also read that red garnets attracted warmth, devotion, understanding, trust, honesty, and sincerity to a relationship. Iori felt warmth creeping up his face as his eyes scanned the last words, so he hastily shut the book and clutched the bracelet tightly in his hand as he stepped outside, resolving himself to meet Riku at last.

Iori spotted Riku in the corner of the garden, working on what appeared to be a vibrantly blooming but well-kept field of sunflowers.

“Izumi-san,” Riku called out as he waved to Iori, gardening shovel still in his hand. “Nice to see you again!”

“Good afternoon, Nanase-san,” Iori’s voice sounded uncharacteristically insecure, and he hid Riku’s birthday gift behind his back with one hand while waving with the other. “I’m surprised you’re working today.”

“Why’s that? I mean, it is Tanabata, but I usually work on Mondays.”

“It’s not an unpleasant surprise, it’s just that,” Iori’s gaze softened as he held out his hand for Riku. “While today is Tanabata, I’ve also heard through the grapevine that today is your birthday, and so I’ve prepared a gift for you.”

Riku gasped. “Izumi… Izumi-san-”

“I request that you call me by my given name.”

“I-Iori-san, I… This bracelet is so beautiful…” Riku’s eyes darted between the bracelet in Iori’s hands and his face multiple times before continuing. “Did you make this yourself?”

“Yes,” Iori rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling a little too warm under the sun. “Consider this bracelet a way of extending my gratitude for... everything.”

Riku clasped his hands together in excitement. “Thank you so much, but I don’t think I’ve ever worn jewelry before, so this is kind of embarrassing… How should I wear it?”

“Allow me to help,” Iori closed a bit of distance in between where the two of them were standing, and Iori sighed in relief as the tall sunflowers offered him shade from the sun’s intense rays. The two made eye contact for a brief moment, before their gazes lowered to Riku’s hand, neither of them able to see the light tints of red dusting their cheeks at the sudden closeness of their faces to one another. 

Iori bit his lip as he took hold of Riku’s hand and carefully wrapped the bracelet around his wrist. As much as he wanted to focus on the action alone, Iori suddenly wondered what would happen if he brought Riku’s hand up to his lips for a chaste kiss. The two walls that stood firmly in the way of his desire were the looming threat of his father’s demands, and the fear that Riku might not feel the same way about him.

Once Iori finished tying the ribbon around his wrist, Riku’s pleasantly surprised expression gradually transformed into one of pure joy, and he smiled from ear to ear as he held his hand out in the sunshine to watch the crystals reflect fractals of red light.

“I don’t know what to say,” Riku couldn’t tear his eyes away from his birthday gift. “I love it, Iori-san.”

“I’m glad, Riku-san.”

Riku’s eyes widened as he remembered Iori’s earlier request for them to be on a first name basis, and he felt frightened by how much he loved the sound of his first name in Iori’s voice.

“Anyway, since it’s so hot outside today,” Riku dashed over to the garden table they’d both sat at together before, then motioned for Iori to sit across from him. “C’mere, I can show you my recent work.”

Iori stepped into the shade provided by an overhead tree, and looked on as Riku flipped through the pages of his notebook. Upon closer inspection, Iori found himself focused on Riku’s hand instead of the calligraphy.

_ “Is his hand… shaking?” _

Riku picked up on Iori’s lingering gaze and spoke up. “Is there something wrong, Iori-san?”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Iori shook his head. “I’m just wondering if there’s anything left that I can possibly teach you.”

“I still have a long way to go,” Riku’s demeanor was humble as usual. “Thanks to you, I’ve been motivated to learn a lot.”

Iori hummed in response, then rested his chin in the palm of his hand, before Riku spoke up again.

“Is something still troubling you? Feel free to share anything that’s on your mind… or not! Whichever you’re comfortable with.”

“You’re sharp as ever,” Iori sighed, realizing that as long as Riku was so bright, he would be terrible at hiding his feelings. “The truth is something that pains me to tell you, but I must do so anyway, as honesty is the least that I owe you.”

Riku’s gentle expression showed hints of worry as he nodded, making space for Iori to continue.

“As we all know, my inauguration ceremony is set to be held in a few short weeks, and Riku-san, you will surely be invited, along with all the members of the royal court, but…” Iori’s face fell as he went on. “My father expects me to meet with various princesses from neighboring kingdoms following the inauguration, and I fear that I might end up engaged to someone I don’t have any real feelings for.”

The sincere distress in Iori’s tone startled Riku, and he paused for a moment to do his best to comprehend Iori’s concerns to the best of his ability, as well as determine the best way to respond. 

“Iori-san, can you stand up for me?”

“Ah, sure,” Iori questioned Riku’s request, as the last time he was asked to do the same was at the end of a formal meeting when he bowed to fellow royalty. Then again, Riku  _ was _ royalty in his eyes.

Without another word, Riku wrapped his arms around Iori and hugged him gently, as if he were made of glass. As he inhaled, Riku felt soothed by the soft fabric and clean linen scent of Iori’s yukata, a unique scent that Riku had never encountered before, even after the countless times he did laundry back home. When his hand traveled down Iori’s back in a comforting gesture, he felt Iori gasp in surprise, so he pulled away to face him.

“Did I scare you, Iori-san?”

“No, not at all,” Iori sighed when he realized that he must have looked completely bewildered, and he shook his head to get rid of some of the tension that remained in his face. “It’s just that I’ve never been… touched in that manner. My family regards me as something like a statue.”

“I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me sad to hear,” Riku showed him a pained smile. “I hug my loved ones all the time. I’d hug you anytime you want.”

_ “If it will make that sad face disappear, then you can hug me for however long you want.” _

Iori chose to rest his head on Riku’s shoulder as he returned to their previous embrace. His hands felt the definition of Riku’s back muscles, toned from the nature of his profession as a gardener, but something about Riku’s body felt fragile nonetheless. Riku’s scent reminded him of rain on a summer morning, and in that moment, Iori felt like he found something like a home in Riku’s arms. After a few moments, Iori pulled away.

“I’ll try to return next week,” Iori’s eyes revealed hints of apprehension. “But I can’t say for sure... I wish I could promise you.”

“I don’t mind, Iori-san,” Riku insisted. “You’re doing the best you can, so please take care.”

Iori nodded, and the last thing Riku saw was the sleeve of Iori’s yukata as he shut his bedroom door behind him. 

“I do mind…” Riku said under his breath as he fell to his knees underneath the sunflowers he had been tending to earlier. “I just want you to smile with your heart.”

Riku couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that his own life dragged on without Iori, and whenever they met, time seemed to pass by so quickly that it felt unfair, like sand falling out of a broken hourglass. Hours turned into minutes, so long as Riku was under Iori’s spell, and as Riku looked down at the magnificent bracelet that Iori had made for him, he came to a realization.

_ “Ah, this is love, isn’t it.” _

Despite the fact that Riku had just experienced the best birthday of his life, longing still gnawed at his heart. He brought his wrist to his forehead, a gesture to cool the heat that flushed his face, but much to his dismay, the thought of Iori giving him a forehead kiss slipped into his mind, and he plucked a sunflower in exasperation, wondering how he could be so foolish as to let his mind wander into such forbidden territory.

  
_ “He loves me, he loves me not,”  _ Riku counted the sunflower’s petals as they fell to the ground. He knew all too well how sunflowers wilted in the cold weather, and Riku prayed that the flame between him and Iori would not be extinguished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it has come to my attention that riku's bday is in fact Not on tanabata so my apologies if the bit with orihime and hikoboshi seemed out of place... i just feel like tanabata suits riku so much as a holiday <3 and it's actually my favorite japanese holiday but they probably didn't celebrate with the same kinds of fireworks and fun festivals in historical japan that they do in contemporary japan so i just left it at iori wearing a yukata :^) anyway thanks for reading as always! <3


	7. Chapter 7

The sweltering heat of summer was starting to subside ever so slightly, and autumn was just around the corner when Iori next met with Riku. They were in the middle of another lesson, and as the two of them practiced calligraphy together, Riku noticed that Iori was unusually quiet that day, even for him.

All of a sudden, Iori moved his elbows to lean in closer to Riku at the table. “Riku-san, could you possibly help me with a... different topic today?”

Riku’s lips parted in surprise, but he quickly nodded. _“Different topic?”_ Iori’s words echoed in his mind.

“Well, I suppose I’ll start with a simple question,” Iori lowered his voice to a hushed tone. “How does one know if they love someone?”

Riku felt his face becoming flushed again, and the more he searched his mind for an answer, the more he felt at a loss for words. He kept staring at Iori, noticing how particularly breathtaking his sharp facial features looked that day in the dim light of the sunset, until Iori spoke again.

“In all my formal lessons, I am still quite uneducated in.. matters of the heart, so I thought you might know, but at any rate, it was a foolish thing to ask-”

“No, not at all,” Riku interrupted. “Lemme think… You’ll know it when you feel it.”

Iori tilted his head. “Perhaps you could elaborate?”

“Well, when you kiss someone,” Riku bit back a nervous smile as he recalled the awkwardness of his own first kiss. “I dunno, it kind of falls into place naturally? Everything just feels right! Or, at least, it should, but like most things in life, it doesn’t always go to plan.”

“As expected, you’ve given me an eloquent explanation in your own way,” Iori commented, clearing his throat to dispel his own nerves before continuing. “I believe I’m starting to understand, but forgive me for asking… have you ever loved anyone, Riku-san?”

“Ah, well,” Riku couldn’t help but be taken aback by how forthcoming Iori was that day. “One time, a while ago, I thought I was, but… I dated someone from my village, but the thing is, I didn’t feel anything special when we kissed, so I knew it wasn’t love. So I guess I’m not the best person to consult on this topic, but at the very least, I learned how to define love by experiencing what love _isn’t_ … if that makes sense?”

“It makes perfect sense,” Iori rested his chin in the palm of his hand, looking up at Riku with a gentle smile. “Someday I’d like to define it for myself.”

_“You’re being too vague,”_ Iori internally scolded himself. _“Stop toying with the idea of being with him.”_

“Maybe I can help…?”

Both of them made eye contact after Riku’s suggestion, holding their breath in a mixture of surprise and anticipation, before Riku spoke again.

“I mean, if you want to practice for someday when you meet someone special, then I’d be happy to help, but if you don’t like the idea-”

“I like it,” Iori interrupted, hesitating slightly before holding Riku’s hand, watching as the gemstones in Riku’s bracelet brushed against his own fingers, and Riku’s other hand unconsciously dropped the calligraphy pen onto his notebook, leaving a small splash of ink. “Please instruct me.”

Riku nodded slowly, and he could hear his own heart pounding in his ears at Iori’s sudden touch. He brought his other hand to Iori’s face, and when Iori slightly leaned into his touch in return, Riku was in awe of how soft Iori’s skin was, almost in disbelief that he was sharing such an intimate moment with the crown prince himself. Their gazes lowered at the same time, and Riku’s lips gently grazed Iori’s, lingering there for a few moments as he waited for Iori's reaction.

Once Iori’s initial reservations about his first kiss had subsided, he shut his eyes and returned the kiss with more passion, his fingers intertwining with Riku’s while his other hand caressed Riku’s jaw. He couldn’t get over how soft Riku’s lips felt, and the pleasant taste of ginger on his tongue, so he deepened the kiss, which earned him a hum of satisfaction from Riku.

Riku wanted to be surprised at how good Iori was at kissing, but in Riku’s eyes, Iori had always been a capable person who was naturally good at anything he did. Riku was the first to pull away, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he tucked Iori’s hair behind his ear with a fond smile before their gazes met again.

“If the kingdom has another queen someday soon, and you kiss her like that, then she’ll definitely fall in love with you, no question! But, I mean, there’s also a really good chance that she would’ve already fallen in love with you before that point,” Riku tripped on his own words, trying to conceal his exhilaration. “Anyway, I thought you did really well.”

“Thank you, I could say the same for you,” Iori couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, despite being slightly flustered by Riku's long-winded compliment. _“He is unbearably cute when he rambles on like so.”_ Iori thought to himself.

Riku stood up from the table, his face still slightly flushed, and clutched his bracelet as he excused himself from the garden with a small bow.

“See you soon,” Riku said as he left, making haste with quick steps as he fled from the garden.

  
 _“I never knew Riku-san could be so shy… and I never knew that I could be so bold...”_ Iori sighed, recalling the image of Riku in his mind as soon as Riku stepped out of the garden. _“I’m never going to forget this day.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's gonna be a lot more hurt than comfort next chapter so i wanted this one to be extra soft :’^)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listened to lots of the gazette while writing this chapter T___T ruki-san is such a gifted songwriter of sad love songs, especially sonokoe wa moroku, so if you want a more in-depth experience while reading, then i highly recommend checking out that song (and the english lyrics)!

Autumn leaves cascaded from the trees surrounding the garden when Riku next saw Iori. Summer flowers that Riku had planted many months ago were just now showing signs of withering, but he made sure to plant autumn flowers ahead of time, taking extra care so that they would bloom as soon as summer flowers started to wilt. In the midst of tending to his usual gardening duties, Riku heard the harsh sound of a door slamming shut, so he dropped what he was doing and ran toward the part of the garden that coincided with the entrance to Iori’s room.

“Iori-san…?” Riku asked, worry written all over his face upon seeing Iori covering his face with his hands. “Are you alright?”

In lieu of a response, Iori started to sob, his hands acting as a shield so Riku wouldn’t see his face stained with tears. As he slowly sat down on the edge of his doorstep facing the garden, Riku gasped and moved to sit next to him.

“H-Hey, it’s okay,” Riku immediately wrapped his arm around Iori’s shoulder, gently patting his back as sobs wracked through his body. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“Riku-san,” Iori said his name in such a weak voice that it made Riku’s insides twist. “I apologize, I had a fight with my father, and my brother walked in, and…” Iori’s voice broke off with another sob, much more intense than before.

“It’s okay, I’m here, so you don’t have to worry,” Riku racked his brain for any kind of useful consolation that he might be able to offer Iori. “It’s okay to cry, I don’t mind if my jacket gets wet.”

At his own comforting words, Iori’s hands tightly clutched the shoulder pads of Riku’s worn-out gardening jacket, and the fabric under his collarbone started to feel slightly damp with tears. Riku felt like he was being stabbed with each sob that Iori let out, but he kept his hands steady on Iori’s back, remaining there until Iori had calmed down enough to speak again.

“I’m not cut out to be King,” Iori dabbed under his eyes with his sleeves before continuing. “Riku-san, I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“I hate to see you so upset,” Riku found that he’d unconsciously clenched his fists while he responded to Iori, wondering what on Earth his father or brother could’ve said that had wounded Iori so deeply. “Is there anything I could do to help?”

“Well, before the fight, I had some lessons in dancing, since there will be a formal dance at my inauguration ceremony,” Iori patted down his hair since it had become disheveled, trying to collect himself further before continuing. “Perhaps I could show you what I’ve learned, and you could be the judge of my skills.”

“Ah, yes, sort of like the practice we did before! I’d be happy to,” Riku replied, coming to his feet and extending his arm out to Iori as he grabbed it to stand alongside him.

As Iori brushed imaginary dust off himself, Riku noticed that Iori stood an inch taller than him, since they both usually stood around the same height, but Iori was wearing what appeared to be a fancy version of combat boots, laced tightly at his ankles to reveal the outline of his toned legs from extensive swordsmanship training. 

Riku felt his breath hitch in his throat as he suddenly realized how different Iori’s outfit was from the traditional Japanese clothing he typically wore; he was so caught up in comforting Iori earlier that he completely neglected to notice. Iori’s broad shoulders were defined by shoulder pads with gold tassels hanging off, and Riku noticed Iori’s jacket was firmly fastened with the same color of gold buttons, clearly outlining the shape of his torso as it tapered inward from his shoulders. His hands were elegantly covered with white gloves, and his pants were a pure white color as well, and Riku spotted an empty sheath at his hip that he could only assume was supposed to hold a noble sword.

_“He looks so… princely,”_ Riku thought to himself, unable to speak as Iori’s hands timidly met his own waist. _“He is so handsome, it's not fair... How could anyone not fall in love with him…?”_

“There’s not much space, but this patio should be enough room for me to show you a simple waltz,” Iori spoke softly in Riku’s ear, and Riku found himself at a loss for words as he slowly nodded in response.

Riku lowered his gaze to Iori’s feet as soon as he felt how flushed his face had gotten, almost overwhelmed at Iori’s presence while he effortlessly led Riku into the waltz. There was no music, but Iori announced the rhythm in a whisper, just loud enough that Riku could also hear.

“One, two, three, one, two, three,” Iori inhaled sharply before bringing their intertwined hands up in the air to twirl Riku around in a quick spin before continuing. “Waltz is in ¾ time, so I figured I’d count aloud.”

“It helps,” Riku managed to find words at last, even as he was distracted by the exquisite gold threads of embroidery that decorated Iori’s jacket. He could only wonder how many hours it took someone to create such an elegant piece of clothing, and he silently thanked whoever had made the jacket, since Iori looked so breathtaking in it.

After sharing the dance with Riku for a few more moments, Iori pulled away. “Are you certain you’ve never done this before? You completed all the steps perfectly, some of which took me an entire lesson to master.”

“I never have,“ Riku’s eyes darted away, as Iori’s words of praise did not help the blush that crept up his neck, his entire face starting to feel hot in the brisk autumn air that surrounded them. 

The two of them had lost themselves in the moment, so much that Iori was now at a loss for words as his eyes met Riku’s. Iori couldn’t stand how endearing Riku looked with such a bashful expression, and Iori suddenly realized that _he_ was the reason behind Riku’s flustered state. 

  
Before he could get too caught up in the minefield of his own mind, Iori cupped Riku’s cheeks with both of his hands and pressed his lips against him so passionately that Riku started to feel lightheaded. Riku returned the kiss with every last ounce of strength he had in his body, wanting desperately to express how Iori was more than just a tutor in his eyes, and more than just the crown prince, but the man he had earnestly fallen in love with. Riku wanted Iori to know that despite everything, he saw Iori for who he truly was.

Iori’s hand held Riku’s wrist where the bracelet he made for him had remained ever since Riku’s birthday weeks ago, that summer day long engraved into both of their hearts, in the same way that new lovers might etch their initials into a tree. As he moved his hands back to Riku’s waist, similar to how they were before when they danced around the patio, Riku hummed in contentment, the sound like music to Iori’s ears. Iori felt the heat radiating from Riku’s face as they kissed, but when a sudden gust of cold wind came by, both of their eyes shot open, and they were torn apart by autumn leaves falling in between them.

“No, I shouldn’t have done that, I…” Iori turned away from facing Riku, fearing that he might break down again if he stayed any longer. “I must go… I bid you farewell.”

The sudden, forced, and downright unnatural formality in Iori’s tone of voice went through Riku like a hot knife, and he clutched his chest as Iori did an about-face and went back into the castle, his soldier-like demeanor now worlds apart from the person who showed Riku so much vulnerability mere seconds ago. He slowly brought his finger up to touch his mouth, the absence of Iori’s presence more tangible with each passing second. _“I know he’s right to put distance between us, but it still hurts… Why does it hurt so much...?”_

Once Iori shut the door behind him, his eyes turned to steel as he realized how hopelessly in love with Riku he truly was. His heart felt like it would shatter into a million pieces as he recalled the feeling of Riku’s waist in his hands, his lips pressed against his own, and worst of all, the memory of Riku’s eyes looking adoringly at him through it all, even as his face had become so unsightly from crying into his shoulder before. Riku looked at Iori like he was an angel, and it made him want to throw up.

  
_“Someone like me doesn’t deserve someone like him,”_ the devil on Iori’s shoulder lectured him. _“It doesn’t matter how badly I want him, because I can never have him. The sooner I can accept that, the better off I’ll be. I did what had to be done for the good of both of us... or so I'll keep telling myself in order to survive.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> like i mentioned in the notes of ch.1 i have very limited knowledge of japanese history, since i’ve studied the language for many years and not necessarily the history along with it, but after this chapter i think it’s safe to say that the setting is mid 1800s japan during the meiji restoration :’) which would explain iori changing between wearing kimono and military uniform (traditional vs modernized japanese attire for the royal family). his outfit is somewhat similar to what he wore in wish voyage, but if you want a clearer mental image then try searching 'meiji era japanese menswear' :~) meiji era was characterized by rapid advances in japanese society, but i can’t say much more than that for sure bc i'm only going off my prior knowledge of studying japanese language/culture for ~8 yrs. anyway, i hope you enjoyed, and there are more heart-pounding moments coming in the next few chapters so i hope you’ll enjoy those too!


	9. Chapter 9

Autumn segued into winter, and before Riku knew it, only a week remained before the ceremony. As he walked into the castle on his way to work, Riku could feel the crowd around him bustling with anticipation for the inauguration, and he even overheard a group of young women chatting about what kind of ruler the next King would be, as well as gossiping about what kind of lady that Iori might want to subsequently become the next Queen.

_“If only they knew just how lovely Iori-san is,”_ Riku sighed to himself. _“I wonder if they’d want to keep him all to themselves if they were in my shoes.”_

When Riku arrived at the gate of Iori’s garden, he felt the biting chill of an icy wind go straight through his jacket and pierce his chest, a harsh reminder that Riku’s least favorite season had arrived. He did his best to uproot any wilted flowers and replace them with plants that would thrive in winter, such as jade plants and poinsettias, but his health routinely deteriorated every winter, to the extent that Riku wasn’t able to work nearly as fast as he used to in the summertime. Dissatisfied with the pace of his gardening, Riku decided to request more hours from his boss, to which he obliged, much to Riku’s relief.

“Those poinsettias are gorgeous,” Iori commented, and Riku jumped up from where he was sitting at the edge of the garden, his lips parting in surprise when he saw Iori suddenly standing so close to him.

_“How did he sneak up on me like that?”_ Riku wondered. _“His footsteps must be quieter than I thought… Or maybe I was just preoccupied.”_

Riku felt his heart beating out of control at the sight of Iori adorned in the same opulent clothing that he had on when Riku last saw him. Iori’s pitch black hair fell perfectly on his shoulders and aligned with the tassels of his uniform, and the spark of eye contact between them after such an agonizing time spent apart sent Riku into a coughing fit.

“Riku-san! I…” Iori started to speak, but then decided to remove his elbow from the side of the gardening shed where he was standing, and his intentions for a smooth return into Riku’s life fell apart at the seams as Riku struggled to breathe. “Are you sick? I can have my doctor take a look at you.”

Riku was conflicted as he searched his mind for an answer. He decided that meeting Iori’s gaze again would be poor judgment on his part, but the sound of Iori’s voice laced with concern, let alone the feeling of Iori’s strong arms delicately holding his fragile body, worsened his condition enough on their own. Riku felt his eyes sting with tears as his coughing fit went on, and for the first time in a while, he didn’t know how to put his feelings into words.

Iori brushed some strands of hair away from Riku’s mouth, his movements careful as he waited patiently for Riku to stop coughing in his arms. He vaguely remembered reading about a character in a novel who had an illness called asthma, and Iori wondered if Riku suffered from the same ailment.

“Iori-san, I’m sorry,” Riku said in between the last of his ragged coughs. “I have this chronic illness… and it tends to get worse around this time of year.”

“I’m relieved that you’re alright, but if that’s the case, then please don’t overwork yourself,” Iori found a scowl had appeared on his face, despite hints of compassion in his voice as he scolded Riku.

“I won’t, I promise…” Riku’s grip was weak as he clutched Iori’s sleeve, and his voice even weaker as he desperately searched for words again. “They’re just… so beautiful.”

“What, my clothes?”

Riku hummed in response as he sat up from Iori’s embrace, then lowered his hands to intertwine with Iori’s again, a concerted effort to keep their hands warm in the cold weather.

“These clothes are no more beautiful than you are, Riku-san,” Iori redirected the conversation with a certain kind of grace that was unique to the crown prince, and the blush that now covered Riku’s face was Iori’s reward.

“What if… I’m not really thinking about your clothes?”

At Riku’s rhetorical question, Iori showed him a puzzled expression, as if to ask Riku to elaborate without actually verbalizing it.

“Iori,” Riku heard Iori quietly gasp when he said his first name, stripped of all its formalities, but Riku took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s not just your appearance, but your heart, the way that you’ve always seen me as your equal, taught me with patience, listened to my words with kindness, and offered me your precious time…”

Iori found himself unable to breathe as Riku somehow didn’t miss a single beat, his words like an arrow trained directly at his own heart, and Riku acted as the world’s most precise marksman. 

“I love being around you, Iori... I love you,” A heartfelt smile appeared on Riku’s face as he paused, seemingly contemplating something before he continued. “I think I’ve been in love with you for a long time…!”

Iori’s eyes slowly but surely filled with tears, and his throat felt tight, but he breathed out a response to Riku’s confession.

“I love you too,” Iori said in a whisper as he choked back tears, until he saw tears falling from Riku’s eyes, which destroyed the last of Iori’s plans to hold himself together.

Riku wrapped his arms around Iori in a tight hug, as if to forgive Iori for trying to leave Riku all by himself, and Iori felt the walls around his heart shatter into a million pieces, like a castle of glass.

_“I should have never left you alone that day,”_ Iori thought to himself, and he desperately wanted to erase the wounds he’d inflicted on Riku’s heart, without causing himself or Riku any more pain.

“Riku,” Iori brushed tears from his eyes as he pulled away from their embrace, and he felt Riku’s hands hold his own even tighter as Iori said his name without any formalities. “Before I met you, nobody treated me as their equal either… I’m just the next in line to the throne, and I’ve never been anything more than that, even to my own family.”

Riku couldn’t help but cry at the painful truth in Iori’s words, tears falling to the ground faster than he could stop them.

“My world was so dark and cold until you came into my life, Riku,” Iori went on, biting back the urge to break down and give up. “I thought I had found something to look forward to that wasn’t a rigid life of royalty, and I finally came to understand more than just emptiness… But the fact is, my future following the inauguration is bleak, and there is no way that this kingdom could ever prosper if the new Queen were to have a miserable, loveless man for a husband...”

“Iori,” Riku found his voice again. “You’re so kind for putting the future Queen and even the entire kingdom before yourself, but there’s no doubt that you’d be unhappy in those circumstances too… Can you try thinking of yourself, for my sake?”

“Every time I think of myself, my mind only returns to you,” Bitterness practically dripped from Iori’s words. “Soon enough, every last soul in this kingdom will be looking toward me to fulfill their desires as their King, but I can’t even fulfill my own desire, which is to spend the rest of my life with you, Riku...” Iori’s voice trailed off as he felt his eyes stinging again.

“Iori… Let’s run away.”

“What…?”

“We need to make a plan, and you’re good at this kind of thing, right?”

Iori felt his chest ache as Riku was still so kind to him, and so _hopeful_ despite everything. “I suppose... But do you have any ideas?”

“I know someone in my village who might be able to make it work, but we’ll have to really put our minds together, since I don’t know the layout of the kingdom as well as you do...” Riku sighed deeply. “We’ll have to avoid all of the guards if we want to make it out in one piece.”

“I have to agree,” Iori shut out the discouraging voice in the back of his mind and resolved himself, before pulling Riku into his arms again. “Even if we get executed, we’ll meet in the next life.”

“Well, that’s one way of looking at it,” Riku’s laughter resounded within Iori’s chest. “But don’t be so serious, Iori… Don’t lose hope, I know we can make it.”

Iori looked intently at Riku, searching the lines of his eyes in hopes of discovering a fire that would ignite his heart, and once he found what he was looking for, Iori left a kiss on Riku’s forehead.

“I believe in us… Should anyone dare to stand in our way, I will crush them, with you at my side.”

“And the sword at your side will be helpful too,” Riku showed Iori a lighthearted smile as he glanced down at the sheathed sword at Iori’s hip before meeting his gaze again. “Just a joke, but I really hope we don’t come across any guards… I have to be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine you in battle, since you’ve always been such a gentleman.”

“In my book, chivalry and ferocity aren’t mutually exclusive,” Iori’s voice sounded much more playful than before, as he articulated his thoughts against the corner of Riku’s mouth, before pressing his lips onto Riku’s. They shared a heartfelt kiss, and their hands intertwined, remaining there even as they pulled away so as to keep warm in the winter breeze that danced around them.

“Iori…!” Riku’s soft laughter filled the air again, and Iori engraved the image of Riku’s smile into his heart, the rapidly setting winter sun acting as the perfect backdrop for his mental image.

“I have to return to the castle for a formal dinner, but you must promise me that you’ll go straight home and take proper care of yourself,” Iori addressed Riku in a firm but loving tone as he grabbed his shoulders, and Riku nodded with enthusiasm.

“I promise,” Riku nodded before leaving a chaste kiss on Iori’s cheek, and he felt his face grow hot as he turned around. “Let’s meet under the next full moon.”

“See you then,” Iori waved as Riku dashed out of the garden, and he felt his own heart racing at the speed of light. Once the gravity of his situation started to set in, Iori was paralyzed with fear, more terrified than he’d ever been in his life.

Izumi Iori, the crown prince and soon to be King, would be running away from the only life he’d ever known, to escape with Nanase Riku in an act of desperate love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think honolulu by last dinosaurs the perfect song for this chapter T____T <3


	10. Chapter 10

_ “Black… I need to wear dark clothing to conceal myself in the shadows…” _

Iori felt chills run down his spine as he took one last glance at himself in the mirror before leaving his room. As much as he tried to stop all the memories flooding in, something like a highlight reel of his life as a crown prince up until then, from flashing in his mind, it was no use. 

_ “This is it… My last moments in the castle.” _

At the thought of his older brother, Mitsuki, Iori felt a deep ache in his chest, and he knew the wound in his heart from having left him behind would only heal with time. Iori had made sure to hug his brother one last time that day, as well as silently offer up a prayer that the jarring transition of Mitsuki taking up the throne in his own sudden absence would go as smoothly as possible. Iori knew it was time to break free of the chains of tradition, and everything else that had burdened him for so long, and he could only wonder if Riku’s brother was in a similar position, having heard so little about him other than that he ran away from Riku’s home. 

Once he finally mustered the strength to cut off his racing thoughts and step outside into the shadows of night, Iori felt like he was truly shrouded in darkness, the subtle glow of the moon highlighting the sharp angles of his facial features. Dressed in black from head to toe, Iori felt nothing short of  _ sinister _ .

He was prepared to put his life on the line for Riku if need be, or even fight to the death for him, but Iori knew that if he shared that resolution with him, he’d quickly be met with resistance, or maybe even Riku’s hidden dark side. As adorable as the image of Riku angrily pouting in Iori’s mind was, he ultimately decided not to let Riku in on any of the morbid thoughts that crossed his mind that wintry evening.

As Iori sharpened his sword, Riku’s words of encouragement telling him to lighten up echoed in his mind as a calming reminder, and he offered another quick prayer up to the heavens that he wouldn’t have to engage anyone in battle that day, then swiftly sheathed his sword again before stepping outside.

Just as promised, Riku waited for him in the garden under the full moon. Iori felt his breath hitch in his throat as Riku turned around to greet him, the moonlight illuminating the bright red gleam of Riku’s eyes as their gazes arrived at each other, and they breathed sighs of relief in harmony, like lovers finding a piece of home in one another.

“Iori…” Riku reached out to wrap his arms around Iori’s side, his shoulders tensing once he felt Iori’s sword brush up against him. “The day is finally here… The person I mentioned from the village is waiting for us by the docks in the bay to the south, where the river meets the ocean.”

“I have a fairly good idea of that location, so I’m relieved to hear that,” Iori brushed some of Riku’s hair behind his ears in an affectionate gesture. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m nervous, but…”

“How is your condition?”

“Ah,” Riku laughed sheepishly. “That’s what you meant... I’ve been coughing a little more than usual, but I’m sure I’ll be fine once we make it to the river.”

“If you insist,” Iori couldn’t shake the lingering anxiety he had about Riku’s illness, but continued nonetheless. “I jotted down some notes, so if you don’t mind, I could address you like a knight, just as I would in any other debriefing… I used to conduct most of the meetings in the knight’s guild.”

“Works for me,” Riku nodded enthusiastically, and trained his eyes on Iori in anticipation, to which Iori responded by clearing his throat, the sudden intensity of Riku’s attentive eyes on him giving Iori a strange rush of confidence. 

“We’ll be keeping a low profile while following this escape route down to the south,” Iori opened a map and pointed to where he wanted Riku to see. “I’ve also prepared two knapsacks, filled with just enough provisions to last us until the end of the boat ride and we can get back on our feet. If all goes according to plan, then we won’t encounter any guards, since I usually approve their patrol routes before the knight’s guild sends them on their way, but if we do happen to come across any of them, Gods forbid… What I said before still stands,” Iori finally looked up from his notes to face Riku. “Needless to say, I’ll be keeping a close eye on you throughout this entire process.”

“Close eye, huh… I’m kind of excited now,” Riku’s lips turned upward in a teasing smile, to which Iori huffed in response.

“You know what I meant,” Iori rolled up the map and shoved it in his bag in one swift motion. “At any rate, we should get going.”

Riku hummed in response, grabbing hold of the backpack next to Iori’s and starting to follow the route that Iori had outlined seconds ago, Riku's own natural ability to navigate the wooded area outside the castle walls surprising even himself.

Their journey started off fairly quiet, the silence almost unsettling Iori, despite everything going according to the plan that he had laid out so carefully earlier. The more they walked down the forest path, the more Iori’s intuition told him that something was  _ off _ .

All of a sudden, the  _ shing _ of a sword unsheathing cut through the eerie silence, and Iori’s heart dropped the second he realized it wasn’t his own sword, but one of his own former knights in training.

“Your Majesty, halt! Return to the castle at once!” The knight practically screamed at Iori, and as his sword drew closer to Iori’s face, his own worst case scenario came true.

"Don't touch Iori!" Riku yelled before leaping out from behind Iori and tackling the knight to the ground, and Iori felt adrenaline coursing through his veins as he started to panic.

_ “No…! Riku… What are you thinking?!”  _

Iori desperately recalled his swordsmanship training as he hastily drew his own sword, and gulped before making a split second decision to swing at the knight’s legs, wincing as he heard his former guard cry out in pain.

“That should stunt his movement so that he won’t be able to follow us, but his voice was loud enough that other guards might've heard,” Iori said in between nervous intakes of breath, pulling Riku up to his feet again. “We have to run, but…. with your condition-”

“I’ll be fine, let’s just keep going,” Riku insisted before dashing off in front of Iori, leaving him struggling to catch up to Riku’s lead. They ran down their escape route without encountering any more guards, much to Iori’s relief, and they had almost reached their destination when, out of nowhere, Iori’s worst nightmare unfolded before his eyes.

Riku collapsed in another coughing fit, much harsher than the one Iori remembered.

“Riku, please,” Iori felt tears stinging in his eyes as he quickly swept Riku into his arms, now trying to figure out how to carry him the rest of the way. “Focus your breathing as best you can, and stay with me, okay?” 

Receiving no response other than violent coughs, Iori started running again, tears slightly blurring his vision, which made him blink faster than usual as he ran. After a while, his chest started to heave, and the weight of carrying Riku while also navigating the dark and winding forest took more of a toll on his own body than he had originally anticipated. 

“It’s just like you said, Riku, we’re going to make it…” Iori said under his breath. “I believe in us...”

At last, Iori could see a shipyard by the river in the distance, and he breathed a sigh of relief, looking forward to the moment he could set Riku down with every fiber of his being, as all of his muscles burned like fire at that point. Once Iori spotted a man with dark green hair waving at him from afar, he set off in his direction.

_ “That must be the man that Riku mentioned, from his village,”  _ Iori thought to himself, before arriving at the mysterious man at last. He abruptly but gently set Riku down near the river’s edge, his back carefully resting on a tall pillar that stuck out from the dock.

“Don’t worry, he’s always had these attacks,” the man affirmed in a nonchalant voice. “Take this, it’s an herbal remedy.”

“Thank you,” Iori took the vial of what appeared to be a clear liquid with a slightly purple tint from the man’s hands, eyeing it in curiosity until he heard the man speak up again.

“It’s lavender oil, something that Riku-kun always told me helped him with his attacks,” he showed Iori a knowing smile as he watched him hurriedly unscrew the vial. “Before you give it to him, allow me…”

As the man’s words trailed off, Iori gasped as he effortlessly picked Riku up and started walking down the edge of the dock with Riku’s unconscious body in his arms, before slowly lowering him into a boat that resembled a canoe. Iori's eyebrows raised in surprise as soon as he noticed a tall blonde man at the front of the boat, seemingly the person in charge of navigating the rest of their journey, as well as a river that extended into the horizon further than Iori's eye could see.

“Please take this as a token of my gratitude,” Iori shoved a wad of paper bills into the man’s hand, a miniscule part of the larger sum that he’d taken from the Izumi family fortune before fleeing the castle. “We’ll be on our way now, but thank you.”

A grin spread across the man’s face, and he chuckled before responding. “Don’t mention it… Safe travels, you two.”

_ “OH!  _ Without further ado, we should set sail, then,” the blonde man announced their departure from the small harbor, and Iori secured his seat in the boat before they set off, making sure to waft some of the lavender oil under Riku's chin so that he could inhale the remedy.

“Isn’t set sail a bit inaccurate,” Iori turned toward the blonde man as he spoke. “Given that this is a canoe, and canoes don’t have sails?”

“ _ Oh my,  _ Your Majesty is sharp as a knife,” the blonde man laughed before attempting to correct himself. “Anchors aweigh just won’t do either, since a canoe does not have any anchors… _Oh no,_ I have landed myself in quite the predicament.”

“Anyway, Izumi is fine,” Iori couldn’t help but laugh softly as the blonde man floundered. Something about his demeanor was particularly endearing to Iori, but he couldn’t put his finger on why. “Considering I’ve just abandoned my position as crown prince, honorifics are hardly applicable to my name anymore.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say _abandoned_ , more like… Taken a leap of faith! But I digress,” the blonde man briefly set his oar down across each end of the canoe in order to bow and introduce himself. “I am Rokuya Nagi, and it is a pleasure to meet you, as well as your lover.”

Iori felt an instant rush of heat to his face upon hearing Nagi refer to Riku as his lover, but he managed to nod in response, before lowering his gaze back to Riku to make sure the herbal remedy was working. He sighed in relief, as Riku’s asthma attack had subsided for the most part, but Iori kept the lavender oil close within reach, just in case.  


“Izumi-san, I have heard your tales of woe from my associate back at the harbor, whom you met with just a few moments ago, and I must say… You are quite courageous!”

“It was mostly his idea,” Iori redirected Nagi’s compliment, nodding toward Riku before continuing. “But as you can see, we had some... complications along the way, but thankfully your associate helped me to keep Riku’s illness at bay.”

“ _ Yes,  _ thank the heavens,” Nagi exclaimed. “Both of you are so admirable, so young, and your futures are overflowing with promise... I am honored to be in a position to support your endeavors.”

Iori showed Nagi a heartfelt smile in thanks, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Nagi was a descendant of royalty himself, solely based on his demeanor and the way he carried the conversation with Iori thus far.

Nagi quickly glanced at Riku before looking back at Iori. “How do you think his condition is now?”

“He’ll be alright, now that the remedy has taken effect,” Iori adjusted his seat to be further into the boat, moving closer to Riku, and slightly brushed Riku’s gemstone bracelet aside to press two fingers on his wrist. “His pulse feels normal as well.”

“I’m glad to hear that, and  _ oh _ , that bracelet is lovely! Exquisitely beautiful, and its colors match the shade of Nanase-san’s hair,” Nagi commented.

“Thank you…” For some reason, Iori found himself unusually coy, unable to tell Nagi that he was actually the one who made the bracelet for Riku as a birthday gift. A part of Iori longed to return to that summer day, as Tanabata was months ago yet still felt like yesterday in his mind, but another part of him was simply grateful that they had both safely departed on their journey.

“Somehow,” Iori found his voice again. “You sound a lot like him, Rokuya-san."

“ _ Oh,  _ is that so?” Nagi exclaimed in delight. “Then I’m even more honored, since it’s clear as day that you love Nanase-san very much.”

Upon Nagi’s astute observation, Iori covered his face with his hand, as he was finally too flustered to respond, opting to spend the remainder of the boat ride in silence. Nothing could be heard among them at that point, save for the sounds of small waves crashing against the side of their boat, and Nagi’s oar wading through the river as he paddled, and so eventually Iori rested his head on Riku’s shoulder, shortly lulled into a deep sleep by a combination of the tranquil atmosphere and his own exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the guy who gave them iori medicine for riku’s asthma was yamato if that wasn’t obvious already LOL but i felt like mentioning his name might dull some of his shady charm… ;^)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> swear this is the last of my unwarranted song recs but i was listening to deep river by hikaru utada on repeat while writing this chapter and i promise the lyrics hit different… also i decided to add a 12th chap at the 11th hour lmao but it’s gonna be added on like an optional afterstory, so definitely stay tuned for that if you want additional fluff in these trying times bc i sure as hell need to write it! but without further ado enjoy the second to last chap ♡

“Are we there yet…?” Riku’s voice faintly called out, grabbing Iori’s attention immediately.

“Good morning, Riku” Iori replied as soon as he heard Riku’s voice, and gently placed his hand on Riku’s back to help him sit up straight in the boat. Iori had been awake for at least an hour before Riku regained consciousness, but Nagi dutifully navigated the boat ride throughout the entire night, allowing them both to get much needed rest.

“Based on our surroundings, I can estimate that our time of arrival is very close,” Nagi took a quick glance around the boat, and Iori and Riku’s eyes both followed his.

“These flowers…” Riku’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked around. “I can't shake the feeling that I’ve seen them somewhere before!”

Nagi brought a hand to his chin. “Is that so?”

“Yes, I think their name was... lily of the nile!” Riku clasped his hands together as soon as he remembered what the flowers were called. “I think they also flourish in southern climates, if I’m not mistaken? Since it’s warm enough for them to grow well, even in winter.”

“As expected from a world class gardener such as yourself,” Nagi chimed in response. “Lily of the nile is also known as agapanthus, and its name stems from the ancient Greek  _ agape _ , which would translate to something like ‘the highest form of love’, so I’d say that this flower speaks the depth of what can blossom between two people such as yourselves.”

“Ah, thank you,” Riku felt his face suddenly become flushed. “The flower’s meaning slipped my mind, even though I’ve studied so much flower language.”

“Happens to the best of us,” Nagi offered Riku a reassuring smile, before returning to paddling them down the river. Eventually, the three of them spotted a harbor in the distance, and Iori spoke up.

“I neglected to ask, with all the chaos leading up to our departure, but,” Iori pointed to the bustling city that they would soon be starting their new lives in. “What kind of place is this?”

“We’re about to arrive in a city off the coast of your home country, but rest assured, it is a lovely place to relocate! My associate at the harbor has made prior arrangements for you both to live under new names, so as to avoid detection, since you both are technically fugitives,” Nagi explained.

“New names…?”

“Yes, of course, you may refer to each other by anything you want, as long as no one else can overhear you. However, when the two of you are in public, Nanase-san, you can go by Erin, and Izumi-san can be called Coda, but like I said before, you’re free to keep calling each other by your real names.”

The two of them nodded in response to Nagi, before gathering their belongings once they saw that their boat had nearly reached the harbor.

“I’m afraid this is where we part ways, but,” Nagi extended his hand to Riku and Iori as they stepped out of the boat and onto the dock by the boat. “I live in the next town over, so come by sometime once you’ve both settled in to your new place! I'll be in touch.”

  
  
“Thank you so much! For everything,” Riku clung to Iori’s side as he waved goodbye to Nagi, and Iori proceeded to wave in succession.

“Rokuya-san…” Iori found himself feeling suddenly sentimental. “Thank you.”

“As my associate likes to say,  _ don’t mention it,”  _ Nagi perfectly mimicked the green-haired man’s snarky manner of speech, which earned him a laugh from Riku and Iori both.

As Nagi’s boat floated away to the other side of the harbor, and eventually out of sight, Riku suddenly pressed his lips to Iori’s, eliciting a muffled gasp from Iori, but he gradually melted into the bliss of the moment, slightly sighing into the kiss. Riku found himself eventually ruining the kiss because he was smiling too much, and pulled away with a guilty look on his face.

“Riku," Iori shut his eyes as his lips turned into a frown. "Must I remind you that we’re in public?”

“ _ Coda,  _ I’m sorry,” Riku answered with a mischievous grin, along with the subtle correction of their new aliases. “But you’re just too handsome for your own good… I don’t mind if anyone else saw us, in fact, that might be for the better, in case anyone tries to steal you away from me.”

The straightforwardness of Riku’s response made Iori’s face burning hot within seconds, but he managed to find his voice again. “If you ask me, I should be the one that’s concerned about other people falling for you, but… Whatever, this conversation is getting us nowhere fast, and we should be searching for somewhere to stay the night.”

“Right,” Riku nodded. “An inn should work for now, at least until we find somewhere to live permanently.”

_ “Permanently,”  _ Riku’s voice resounded in Iori’s mind. Even though a bustling crowd of strangers surrounded them as Riku took hold of Iori’s hand and they walked through the unfamiliar town, Iori had never felt more at ease in his entire life.

“Iori, I know your family had a lot of money, but whatever you were able to grab on your way out will only get us so far,” Riku’s voice slightly rang in Iori’s ears, but the sound of Iori’s own heartbeat drowned out most of Riku's words. “I’ll probably have to look for work sometime soon.”

“Don’t worry about that right now,” Iori reassured him, before reaching in his own bag to quickly leaf through the wad of cash he had stuffed in there earlier. He kept the money completely hidden in his bag while he counted, wary of the crowd around him.  _ “You’re right, Riku, I did grow up in a life of luxury, but I am no fool,”  _ Iori thought to himself.  _ “I should keep an eye out for pickpockets until we’re able to find somewhere to stay.” _

“Oh, look, over there!”

At Riku’s exclamation, Iori’s line of sight moved from his own bag to where Riku was pointing in the distance, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he realized Riku had found an inn at the end of the street they had been walking down aimlessly.

“Takanashi Bed & Breakfast, huh,” Iori mused. “Assuming this place is owned and operated by Japanese people… Riku, we should be able to speak our native language here, but we should still keep our guard up, in case this business is somehow connected to my family.”

“Right,” Riku shook his head, resisting the urge to revert to his usual friendly demeanor as they walked through the front door of the inn. At the front desk, the two men were greeted by a woman with wavy blonde hair and vibrant pink eyes.

“Oh, hello there! Would you two be looking to stay the night, by any chance?”

“Yes, one room please,” Iori answered quickly, feeling himself growing more eager by the second to sleep in a real bed again, as opposed to the hard surface and rocky movements of Nagi’s boat.

“How many beds?”

“Ah, well, I guess...” Iori quickly became flustered, not expecting the front desk to ask such a straightforward question, but Riku spoke up soon after he noticed Iori was struggling.

“Just one, please!”

“That works! If you come with me, I can show you both to your room,” the woman’s magenta eyes creased as she offered them both an understanding smile, and Iori sighed deeply as he followed her up the stairs of the somewhat cramped but cozy inn, Riku following close behind him.

Riku was the first to speak up again once they reached their room. “Thank you very much, miss!”

“You’re welcome! Enjoy your stay, and if you need anything, feel free to come downstairs to the front desk, and we’ll be glad to accommodate any requests to the best of our ability.”

As soon as the hospitable woman closed the door behind her, Riku fell onto the bed, the creaking sound resounding throughout the small room before he looked over at Iori inquisitively.

“Iori, what did you think of that girl?”

Iori tilted his head at him, unsure of what Riku was getting at.

“Wasn’t she cute?”

“What do you mean, ‘wasn’t she cute’,” Iori crossed his arms as he repeated Riku’s words for emphasis. “Of course she was cute, but I’m in love with you,” Iori said faster than he could realize what had come out of his mouth, and Riku only smiled playfully in return.

“Hmm, that’s more like it~”

“Anyway,” Iori averted his eyes, and spotted a small stove in the corner of the room. “We should probably make something to eat, sooner rather than later.”

“Iori, don’t take this the wrong way, but…” Riku just barely contained a laugh. “Have you ever cooked for yourself before?”

“I’ve made tea,” Iori huffed, admittedly feeling lost the more he eyed the kitchenette in their room. “Forgive me,  _ Riku-sensei _ , but I still have a lot to learn.”

Riku’s stifled laughter from before bubbled to the surface, and Iori silently thanked himself for choosing sarcasm over an honest response.

“I’ll make some soba noodles, then just add whatever ingredients you put in here beforehand,” Riku put one hand on his hip as he rummaged for ingredients with his other hand, suddenly appearing much more self-assured as he took out all sorts of ingredients from both of their knapsacks, finding mushrooms, carrots, and even a vibrant green stalk of bok choy.

“I’m sure whatever you make will be delicious, Riku.”

“Iori…” Riku whined, and Iori felt a chill run down his spine. “You can’t just smooth talk me like that and expect me to focus on cooking.”

“Look who’s talking,” Iori scoffed, casually finding a seat on the creaky bed where Riku was lying face down just seconds before. As soon as the soft sound of Riku chopping vegetables hit his ears, Iori felt a wave of calm wash over him.

There was no denying that Iori faded in and out of sleep a few times while Riku was cooking, nodding off a few times in spite of himself, and before he knew it, Riku was calling Iori over to taste the soba he’d made.

“Riku, this tastes…” Iori felt a different kind of pang in his chest as he stood eye to eye with Riku by the stove. “Better than any meal I’ve ever had.”

“Something tells me that you’re not just saying that,” Riku’s eyes widened as he watched Iori make a bowl for himself and walk over toward the kotatsu in the corner of the room.

“You already know that I can’t get anything past you,” Iori tried to hide his blush with his hand that wasn’t holding chopsticks. “So I think we should just enjoy the meal.”

“Right,” Riku felt a strange burst of confidence as he scurried over to the kotatsu and sat on the floor next to Iori, their shoulders bumping ever so slightly. He couldn’t shake the fluttering feeling in his heart when Iori complimented his cooking, and he couldn’t help but wonder what kind of cooking Iori had been accustomed to as crown prince, wondering if he might even be able to replicate some of Iori’s favorite dishes somehow.

“I want to start studying the local language,” Iori said in between bites, covering his mouth with his hand. “Starting tomorrow.”

“You’re so diligent, Iori,” Riku inched closer to Iori, so much that their noses bumped together. “I love that about you.”

Iori almost choked on his bite of soba, and he decided to slowly lower his chopsticks down to the table once he turned to face Riku again, the fire in Riku’s eyes captivating him like they always did, except this time something felt completely _different_.

_ “We’re safe here… No one can bother us… No, rather, I won’t allow anyone to come between us.” _

Before Iori could become lost in thought, he took hold of the collar of Riku’s shirt and pulled him into a surprisingly gentle yet still heated kiss, which Riku melted into within seconds.

“You taste like soba,” Riku pulled away to poke Iori’s cheek. “But I am a world-class chef after all, so I don’t mind,” Riku fell on top of Iori and kissed him with rapid attacks of affection, amused to see that the red tint on Iori’s face deepened with each one.

“If you keep this up, I’m going to get mad,” Iori’s grip tightened around Riku’s waist, but Riku only giggled in response, as he felt ticklish all of a sudden.

“Ooh, angry Iori,” Riku said in between fits of laughter, shooting up from the kotatsu and running over to hop onto the bed in avoidance of Iori’s tickling threat. “Can’t say I don’t like that either.”

“Really, Riku…” Iori sounded exasperated, but his face told an entirely different story, as Iori was clearly enamored of him. “You could’ve just said you wanted me to come to bed.”

When Iori sat at the edge of the bed and looked down at Riku lying there underneath him, breathless in laughter, tears forming in the corners of his eyes, Iori was nothing short of spellbound.

_ “Why do I feel as if I suddenly know what all the gods in heaven are trying to tell me?”  _ Iori thought to himself as he reached down to cup Riku’s cheeks with his hands.  _ “This might be the closest thing I’ll ever have to a religious experience… So I might as well worship him alongside every other god.” _

“Riku,” Iori quickly exhaled before leaning down to lose himself in Riku's kiss once again, and Riku sighed into his mouth, the heat of their exchange offering them a way to fight back against the subtle chill in the air around them.

“Tomorrow, we’ll start over, but for tonight,” Riku whispered in Iori’s ear, and as soon as his intoxicating voice was cut off with a sigh, Iori realized he had been hanging on to Riku’s every word. “Let’s forget about the world.”

Every part of Iori was on edge, and the more he looked at Riku, the more he feared his body might vanish, and Iori worried that he might jolt awake from a fever dream if he stared at him for too long.

“Riku, how should I go about that, when,” Iori asked as he left kisses along the line of Riku’s jaw. “You are my world?”

“I guess we’ll just have to find out,” Riku’s voice suddenly sounded raspy, which concerned Iori as he worried about his asthma, but Riku squeezed Iori’s hand, as if to let him know that he was alright.

“Former crown prince Izumi Iori, at your service,” Iori brought Riku’s tightly-gripped hand up to his lips, leaving a kiss there that was slightly too tender for the electric atmosphere.

Riku couldn’t help but smile, despite his eyes stinging ever so slightly. “Iori… I love you.”

“I love you too, Riku.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and with that this fic is more or less complete, but stay tuned for the afterstory like i mentioned before, and drop a kudos/comment if you enjoyed♡


	12. Chapter 12

Riku held Iori’s arm tightly with one hand and pointed to various shopkeeper’s stalls with his other hand, and the two of them walked around the local marketplace as a happy couple. Iori still felt somewhat shy when Riku was so eager to show his affection in public, but he endured it for the sake of spending time with him. 

“Look,” Riku pointed to a storefront filled with flowers. “I think I’ve been studying enough of the local language, so I want to try and spark a conversation with that old lady…!”

“If there’s anyone who can do so, it’s you,” Iori reassured him with a soft smile, and looked on with hints of bittersweetness in his eyes as Riku left his side to walk over and introduce himself to the old woman.

“Hello, this afternoon, how can you be doing?” Riku’s words came out slightly disjointed, having only started studying his second language a month ago, and the shopkeeper immediately burst into laughter, causing Riku to laugh nervously in return.

“A newcomer, huh,” The wrinkles of the old woman’s eyes deepened along with her knowing smile. “I’ll give you a first-time shopper’s discount for any of these flowers… But something tells me you’ll be a repeat customer.”

“Thank you! I definitely will!”

“I can see why you chose him, his enthusiasm is irresistible,” the old lady grinned from ear to ear as she turned to face Iori, noticing that he was somewhat hiding in plain sight, just around the corner of her storefront. “If more young people like him lived here, this city would be a much better place.”

_ “I wholeheartedly agree,” _ Iori wanted to reply, but didn’t know as much of the local language as Riku did, so he opted to just nod fervently in response.

Riku had been trying his hand at flower arrangement lately, the traditional art of ikebana serving as a somewhat painful reminder of their home country, but their neighbors seemed to like Riku and his talent for gardening, so they were able to find a few different sources of income to get by and eventually buy a small house together.

Once he found the flowers he needed, Riku clutched the bouquet in his arms and ran back to Iori’s side, feeling his heart flutter when Iori wrapped his arm around his waist to pull him close for their walk back home, as if to defend Riku from a nonexistent threat in the crowd of the market.

Their house was in a secluded area of town, so Riku didn’t hold back from peppering Iori’s face with kisses for the remainder of their trip back home. Iori felt a blush creep up his face, but he wasn’t necessarily embarrassed by Riku’s displays of affection, more like slightly dazed and confused as to how he lucked out in finding such a loving boyfriend as Riku in the first place.

“I’ll make us some tea,” Iori offered, jumping at the chance to escape from Riku’s shower of kisses, or else he knew they both wouldn’t be able to calm down for the rest of the day. “What flavor do you want?”

“Ginger tea sounds nice right about now,” Riku replied, and Iori nodded in response before heading into their house and closing the door behind him.

Their house was a bungalow with ivy vines wrapped around the roof and sides of the house, and Riku had recently planted assorted colors of pansies in the flower boxes underneath the windows. There was a garden table with two chairs on the small front porch of the house, which Riku had insisted was a necessary addition to their house, and Iori eventually realized that Riku’s insistence was because the table and chair set reminded Riku of the corner of Iori’s garden where they had shared their first kiss, many months ago.

Iori’s heartbeat quickened at the memory of that day, and another part of him hoped that summer would arrive again soon, so that Iori could see the freckles reappear on Riku’s face that he loved so much before. Iori knew that ginger was good for Riku’s asthma as well, but warmer weather would be even more helpful, and he wasted no time in preparing Riku’s tea, making sure it was piping hot while he quickly prepared jasmine tea for himself, a flavor he had become partial to.

“Be careful, the tea is hot,” Iori informed Riku before placing a blue and white teacup in front of him on the table, before walking around to the other side and finding his seat across from Riku.

“Hmm, I never would have guessed~”

Iori clicked his teeth. “With how absentminded you can be, I have to watch out for you.”

“You’re right,” Riku snickered. “I am absentminded… But mostly because you look nice today.”

Iori stopped himself just in time before choking on his sip of tea, and he ultimately decided that he couldn’t help himself from playing into Riku’s hand. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” Riku rested his chin in the palm of his hand, looking over at Iori adoringly. “I knew buying you that blue shirt was a good idea! It practically screamed ‘Iori’ when I walked past it at the market.”

Iori’s eyes widened. “Isn’t that kind of scary, then?”

“Now you’re just playing dumb,” Riku burst into laughter. “I guess it would be scary if I went to the marketplace and things jumped out at me, yelling your name, but… A lot of things just remind me of you nowadays.”

Iori felt his chest tighten, and he took a quick sip of tea to stifle the lump in his throat.

“Anyway, I wonder if this table needs a centerpiece…” Riku tapped his chin as he paused to think. “But then again, if I put flowers here, then I might get distracted from your face.”

“Is that supposed to be a bad thing?”

“Of course it is, Iori! How many times do I have to tell you that you’re beautiful before you believe it,” Riku whined, and Iori couldn’t help but smile in spite of his own coy expression, as he thought Riku’s pout was one of the most adorable expressions to grace his boyfriend’s face.

“Fine, I believe it…” Iori tried to hide the blush on his face with another sip of tea, but it was no use. “There, happy now?”

“I’m always happy when I’m with you, Iori…” Riku’s voice slightly wavered, which made Iori’s eyes snap up in concern. “After being unhappy for so long, I think we both deserve to get lost in the feeling… At least a little bit.”

“You’re right,” Iori reached over to hold Riku’s hand tightly in his own, a subtle but comforting gesture that he knew Riku loved. “We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we?”

  
Riku opened his mouth to respond, but he was abruptly interrupted by the sound of children yelling.

“Come back inside, dinner's ready!”

Riku tilted his head at Iori, puzzled by the sound of the middle-aged woman calling out to the two kids playing outside, since Riku knew who all their neighbors were, but didn’t recognize her voice.

Iori turned to half-whisper in Riku’s direction. “Maybe they just recently moved in?”

“Could be,” Riku showed Iori a wistful smile. “Those kids are really cute, though.”

Before Iori could respond, he was cut off by the high-pitched sound of the children’s conversation resuming outside of their porch.

“Hey,” the small boy spoke to the little girl across from him, but she didn’t seem to be paying much attention, opting to twirl grass around in her fingers instead. “Have you heard about the fairytale?”

“What fairytale?” the little girl sounded slightly annoyed, but still curious.

“Well, I heard some kids in our class talking about a fairytale that their parents told them… They said that a king and his lover escaped from a distant country to live here happily ever after.”

“For real?!”

“Yeah,” the little boy continued. “And the king even married his gardener eventually, so it’s like a super happy ever after!”

“That’s cool and all, but,” the girl rolled her eyes. “What about the  _ escape _ ? How the heck did they even run away from their kingdom?”   
  
“I guess I gotta ask my friends next time we go to class, huh…”

“Iori...” Riku felt tears forming in his eyes as he looked over at Iori. “Shouldn’t we tell those kids the truth?”

“Someday they might figure out on their own, but,” Iori felt a pang in his chest as he wrapped his arms around Riku in a tight embrace. “For now… it’s our story.”

Riku sniffled. “I know, Iori… It’s the story that we wrote together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cant believe i made it to the end of this fic!! i could’ve had a beta reader but decided against it in the long run, which is actually a first for me on ao3, so sorry if anyone spotted any errors along the way :0 this is also the longest fic i’ve ever written so i definitely couldn’t have done it without your support! ♡♡ if you enjoyed this, then also check out the multichap yukimomo fic im currently writing! but even if yukimomo is not your cup of tea (wink) then still thank you so much for reading this far!! ioriku soft!!! and if anyone wants to find me on twt my acc is @ciubsunshine (altho beware i rt a Lot of yakuza with the occasional i7 fanart here n there lmao)


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